Lie To Me
by gemini69
Summary: Does it ever get easier?" I asked, tears running down my face. "What? Life?" Severus asks. "Yes." It's a whisper of a reply. "What do you want me to say?" He asks again, at a loss. "Lie to me..."
1. Chapter 1

_**Prologue**_

_The rain pounded down on me. It felt like needles falling from the sky instead of water. They tore at me and numbed me at the same time. I didn't care. I no longer jumped at the sound of thunder crashing through the sky or at the lightning that lit the world. The violence of the storm was not what frightened me. I could no longer explain what frightened me. I no longer knew. All I knew was the fear. _

_I didn't know where I was or where I had been. All I knew was that I needed to keep running. This was a race. The only places, first and last. I could not afford to lose._

_Blood ran into my eyes, giving my vision a red haze. The trees tore at my skin and clothing, creating new wounds. My bare feet were bleeding but I could no longer feel the pain. All I could feel was the fear that was choking me and the adrenaline pumping through my veins._

_I was weeping but did not notice. The salty tears running away with the rain that poured relentlessly. My legs shook under me and my determination wavered for one instant. I could not give up. All I wanted was to curl up and weep but I knew that if I did I would end up right back where I started and I knew that I could not survive it again. That left one place to go: forward._

_I had no idea how long or far I had run. It could have been one mile or one hundred. That didn't matter. I was blinded by the tears and the blood that ran into my eyes. Finally, the trees cleared and there was soft grass under my bloodied feet. I could see lights in the distance. I tried to call out but my raw throat wouldn't allow it._

_I stumbled and saw the ground rushing up at me. Then, I only knew the darkness._


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 1_**

My head felt like it was going to split in half. I tried to raise a hand to my temple to ease some of the pain, but found that I couldn't move my arm. Worried, I tried to focus on anything to keep calm. Unfortunately, at that moment I became acutely aware of the pain tearing at every part of me. I felt as if I had been beaten with hundreds of sledge hammers. I didn't think there was a single part of me that didn't hurt. 

Trying to block the pain I decided to focus on my surroundings to figure out where I was. Ever so slowly I began to recognize the sound of voices. For a split second panic clutched at me but I shook it off as ridiculous. Concentrating harder I began to tell the voices apart. There were one... two... three... four... five... six... Yes, six voices. Six people in the room with me. Two of the voices sounded farther away then the rest. I was thankful for this as it was quite obvious that whoever they were they were unhappy about something.

I blocked those two voices and concentrated on the four that were closer. Two women and two men. The women were whispering among themselves but the men I could understand.

"What happened to her?" He sounded older then the rest. So tired, so weary. Whoever he was he had seen too much in his life.

"I'm not sure, headmaster. I found her in this condition on the outskirts of the forbidden forest." This man sounded much too old as well. In his guarded tone and world weary sighs you could hear pain, and the fact that he had seen more than anyone ever should. To most he would more than likely sound nonchalant. Probably the tone he was going for. I didn't understand it, but I could tell that he was worried. Maybe I could only hear it since I was concentrating so hard on his voice. It was by far the most comforting voice that I had heard yet. His voice reminded me of winter nights curled up by a fire with a nice book. I couldn't tell why but I seemed to draw strength from his voice. True, it was cold at the beginning but if you looked deeper there was warmth and comfort.

I shifted just slightly and the pain returned with a vengeance. A moan escaped my lips and all of the voices disappeared. That made me moan louder. I didn't know who he was but I didn't want him to stop talking.

"Miss Granger?" I felt a hand on mine. The voice belonged to the older man. It wasn't the one that I wanted to hear.

I shifted again and cried out. I tried desperately to focus on anything to block the fire that seemed to be running through my veins.

"Miss Granger, can you hear me? Try to open your eyes." There was that voice. The one that I wanted to hear. It seemed a balm for the pain and I was overcome with the need to see who that voice belonged to. I wanted to know.

I focused harder. I had to open my eyes. He wanted me to open my eyes. I couldn't understand it but I didn't want to disappoint him. I had the distinct impression that to disappoint him would hurt worse than the fire that was licking at me.

Slowly my eyelids began to twitch and I could see the slightest sliver of light through them. It was almost blinding. I tried to turn my head from the light.

"Nox." was whispered above me by that voice and the blinding light lessened to a pleasant glow. I let out a low hum of thankfulness and opened my eyes more fully. I could make out a face very close to me. He had deep, dark eyes and a roman nose. He seemed to be in his late thirties. His eyes showed his relief as they connected with mine. He had been worried about me. The thought seemed to warm me.

"Hello." It was all that he said and it was apparently all that I needed. There was so much conveyed in those two simple syllables.

"Hi." It came out a croak and was followed by a round of violent coughing. He slipped a hand behind me and lifted me. The next thing that I knew was cool, soothing water being held to my lips. I drank greedily. It felt as if my throat had been scrubbed raw for weeks on end. I had the distinct impression of having screamed far too much and far too loudly. Maybe I had been at a sporting event? That didn't seem to make sense though. I was sure that I wasn't much for sports of any kind.

He pulled the glass away and lowered me back down to the bed. His eyes met mine and the worry seemed to have doubled. Why was he so concerned about something so trivial as a cough? I figured he would be more worried about the endless pains and the fire that was boiling the blood in my veins.

"Miss Granger?" He said that name again. Was that me? I wasn't sure. I tried to remember. Granger... Granger... Unfortunately it didn't seem familiar.

Apparently my confusion showed on my face because his brows drew down together and his eyes shimmered with something that I couldn't recognize. Maybe he had mistaken me for someone else. I certainly hoped not. I didn't want him to go away which he surely would if that was the case.

"Severus Snape! You quit smothering my patient right now! She obviously needs rest." My eyes snapped to an elderly woman standing a little ways away from the bed. She seemed like a vulture hovering there. I was sure that if he went away she would pounce and do far more damage then he was doing. I wanted him to stay with me, this man named Severus Snape.

I was quite certain that she had been speaking to him as he had looked up as soon as she had begun her screeching. Dreadful voice that one had. I shuddered involuntarily and moved closer to Mr. Snape. He looked down at me and I met his eyes with my own. I could feel the protectiveness flowing off of him in waves. He wouldn't leave me alone with her. I was sure of it.

He turned to look at the wizened old man that I hadn't noticed before. He must have been the one who had been talking to me earlier. "Headmaster." So much conveyed in one single word. He seemed to have a gift of putting a whole conversation into one word. That was the second time that I heard him do so.

The elderly man nodded to him and turned to face the screeching vulture of a woman and her companion. "Poppy." She looked at him. "Minerva." Her companion's eyes lifted to him as well. "Let's adjourn to my office. We have much to discuss."

"But, Albus.." He stopped her with a simple lift of his hand. He seemed to emit so much power. She simply nodded and swept from the room.

He turned back and looked down at me. A sad smile touched his lips. "Welcome back, Miss Granger." With those words he and the other woman, Minerva, swept from the room. I watched their progress and winced as raised voices reached my ears moments later. I heard the shouts move closer and then farther away.

I turned back to Mr. Snape. He seemed to be off in his own little world. Something that I didn't recognize told me to leave him be for the moment and I looked around at my surroundings. I was in a hospital room. It was obvious by the sterile, white walls and the not so comfortable feel of too crisp sheets. I slowly moved my toes and the scratchy, white, cotton sheets rubbed at my already abused skin. I wished desperately for something a little more soft. It was killing me to have these uncomfortable sheets rubbing against me when I already felt as though I was on fire.

Maybe I had a fever. That would explain the burning sensation and general ache to my skin. I nodded slowly to myself and then moaned from the motion. It was obviously too much for my beaten muscles to handle. At the tiny noise Mr. Snape's attention was drawn back to me. He stared at me for an infinite amount of time before pulling what seemed to be a stick from his sleeve. He muttered some words under his breath and put the stick back in his sleeve with a nod to himself.

Oh fabulous. Apparently this Mr. Snape that I had felt so comfortable with was a loon. What grown, sane man would go waving around sticks and muttering to themselves? No other explanation for it. He was a loon.

Apparently he seemed to notice my look of uncomfortable confusion. "Miss... Hermione?" I looked at him more confused then ever. He reached down and grabbed my hand in his. He just stared at our joined hands as he ran his thumb over my knuckles. "I'm so sorry." His voice sounded thicker than before as he spoke those words. What in the world was he talking about.

I knew that he was talking to me since there was no one else in the room. Or was he? After all he _had_ just waved around a stick while talking to himself. I felt so lost in that moment. I had never been more confused in my life I was certain. I couldn't seem to remember anything before waking up in this overly sterile room with a bunch of voices I couldn't place.

I needed answers desperately and he seemed the only one capable of giving me any at the moment. "Who are you?"

His eyes shot to mine and held. He had to have known that I did not remember. "Severus Snape."

I examined the face before me. Lines were etched around his eyes and mouth making him look much older than he had a moment ago. I could see worry swimming in his onyx eyes and I softened slightly. "Do you know me?"

"Yes. I have known you since you were eleven." He had said this while staring at our joined hands again.

"Nothing." Tears threatened to surface but were brutally forced back. "Do you know what it's like to wake up and remember nothing of your life? Not even your own name?" I shook my head. "It's like a blank novel and I have to wait for someone else to tell me the story."

His fingers tightened around my own and I winced slightly at the extra pain it invoked. "What would you like to know, Miss Granger?"

I stared at him for a moment before answering. "Everything."

I watched as he sat back and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Your name is Hermione Jane Granger. You are twenty-five years old." He opened his eyes to look at me. "You are an only child but have two friends who are like brothers to you." I nodded.

"What of my parents?" I watched the pain cloud his eyes.

"Your parents, Jane and Philip Granger were killed when you were twenty. Since, you have been living here, at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" He nodded. "Yes. It is a boarding school of sorts. You were taught her from age eleven to eighteen." I closed my eyes trying to see if this information would bring anything back. My brows furrowed in concentration.

_I saw a stick in my hand and multi-colored lights lit up the forest that I was in. It all seemed hazy. Then there was only darkness._

For the first time since the conversation started I squeezed his hand. My eyes shot open and found his already watching me. "What happened to me?"

"We don't know the details, Miss Granger."

Anger filled me. Anger at the entire situation. "Must you continue to call me that?!" His eyes widened. "I have a name. Use it."

"All right, Hermione."

I nodded in satisfaction. I felt as if I had finally won one small battle that I was fighting. "You must have some details. Maybe not all, but some."

A heavy sigh tore from him and he seemed to deflate before my very eyes. "A week ago, you headed out to the Forbidden Forest to collect some herbs and other ingredients. Later that evening we found your bag along with a scroll holding the dark mark. It explained that you were being held for ransom." He refused to explain that the ransom was Harry Potter's life or the details of what they had threatened to do if it was not met.

"Kidnapped?" My eyes closed. I could see shadows. It was dark. There was a musty smell. Loud angry voices and banging. Then the pain would begin. "I can't remember. It's as if there is a haze of smoke blocking my view of things." My fingers reflexively tightened before I forced myself to loosen my grip.

I felt his hand gently touch my cheek and looked up at him yet again. "Do not push it, Hermione. You will remember when you are ready."

"Are you a doctor? I thought that the woman was. The one who screeched and acted like a vulture." He smiled briefly at my description.

"Poppy." He let out a bark of a laugh that was over before it had truly begun. "I am not a doctor in the direct sense. I have healed enough people in my time though."

"So, what are you? A medicine man?" His eyes sparkled at this.

"Always needing to ask questions, Hermione. That is just like you." I felt the side of my mouth tilt lightly at that. "I practice Potions, Hermione. As do you." My smile dropped from my face and my brows drew together in confusion. "You are a witch, Hermione. I am a wizard."

At this I inched away from him. Great. Back to the loon business. He had obviously lost it. Why would they leave me alone with a crazy man?

At the look on my face he sighed and pulled the stick from his sleeve again. I backed up further. "Here. Let me show you." I watched him wave the stick around and say some words. With one last flick a tray of food appeared on the bedside table. My jaw dropped open.

I turned back to the dark man beside me, bewilderment etched into my features. "This," He held up the stick for me to examine. "Is a wand." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a long, ornately decorated box. "This," He opened the clasp with a flick of his index finger to reveal another stick with beautiful carvings. "Is your wand."

At my hesitation he held the box out to me. "Go on. Take it." I reluctantly reached out and grabbed the proffered gift. Just as I was wondering how I could get away from the insane man I felt a rush go through my body. It felt like a surge of unbeatable power. My wide eyes met his and I cocked my head to the left. He smiled. "Would you like me to teach you?"

I thought for a moment. What could it hurt to entertain this loon? I was just going to be waving around a stick. Not a big deal. Right? I hesitantly nodded and watched the smile spread across his face. The lines of worry disappeared and I was amazed at how much younger he looked.

He sat on the bed and pulled me to sit between his legs. "All right." His hand reached out and covered my own, smaller one. "Let's start with the basics." I nodded again. "What would you like to levitate?" I turned my head to look up at his face. He simply arched a brow, waiting for my response.

"That book over there." I nodded to the copy of Pride and Prejudice. He grinned and led my hand in the proper movements. "Swish and flick." He took his hand from my own. "Now when you are ready do the movement and say 'Wingardium Leviosa'."

I took a deep breath before doing as instructed. I was shocked when the book hovered over the table. In a panic I dropped the wand and watched the book fall back onto it's resting place. He chuckled behind me and I felt the rumbling from his chest run up my back. "If you want it you have to guide it to you with the wand. Watch." He cast the spell with his on wand and levitated the book over to my lap.

I picked up the beloved novel and turned it over again and again, running my hands along it to make sure that it was real. "Amazing." I breathed out as I flipped it open and read the opening sentence. It was only then that I noticed that my hands were shaking. I held up a hand in front of me and tried to steady it. Mr. Snape seemed to notice and took my hand in his. He lifted me from his chest and moved around to sit on the edge of the bed facing me. "Hermione." I continued to study my shaking hands.

"Hermione, look at me." My eyes flew to his and he continued to rub the hand that he held. "Are you in pain?" I nodded slightly. "Tell me what it feels like."

I gasped as the fire in my veins seemed to turn into molten lava. The pain increased and the rest of my body slowly started to shake. I pushed through the pain to focus on the hand rubbing my own. "It feels like," I stopped and began to breathe heavily, trying to force down the bile that was slowly rising. I gasped. "Like, there's fire running through my veins." He nodded and continued to rub soothing circles on my skin.

As I began to convulsively swallow he stood and grabbed a bucket for me. As my stomach turned and rejected it's contents I heard him shuffling around.

"Hermione, you obviously had the cruciatus curse used on you. I need to give you a few potions to counteract the after effects." All I heard was a buzzing. I couldn't understand what he was saying.

When I had finished emptying my stomach I felt his fingers wrap around my chin and lift my face. I opened my mouth to ask what he was doing but before I could form the question I felt a liquid being poured down my throat. It was quickly followed by a second mouthful. When I had finished swallowing he held a glass of ice cold water to my lips. I moaned in happiness as the freezing liquid soothed my raw and abused throat. I gulped greedily until he pulled the glass away.

I kept my eyes shut tight until I felt the pain begin to ebb slowly out of my system. It seemed as if whatever he had given me had traveled straight into my veins to soothe the fire there. Slowly I opened my eyes and concentrated on his face. At first the picture was hazy but it quickly cleared to show me his worried expression. I was awed and humbled to find his eyes swimming with tears. Without thinking I reached out and curled my fingers around his wrist.

I watched him blink back the tears before moving to cover my hand with his free one. "I'm so sorry that this happened to you, Hermione. I promise that I'll do everything in my power to help you find what you've lost and make those who did this pay."

I watched his eyes harden. It was almost like a wall of ice was being built up inside of him. For some reason it didn't scare me. It felt as if this was how it should be. In that moment I knew that this man had meant something to me. I had no idea what but I intended to find out.


End file.
